


Demolition Lovers

by AntisocialCasualty



Category: Onward (2020)
Genre: Action & Romance, Corrupt Cops, Eventual Political Themes, High School, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Slow Burn, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:00:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23591236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntisocialCasualty/pseuds/AntisocialCasualty
Summary: Tyler Skotadi is the new kid on the block. It's his senior year of high school and he's struggling to fit in at New Mushroomton High. He finally manages to make a new friend, but his life turns into a rollercoaster when he meets his new friend's older brother, who is trying to rid himself of an unsavory ex.(Contains eventual smoking/drug use and sociopolitical themes, mainly about corrupt cops.)
Relationships: Barley Lightfoot/Original Character(s), Corey | The Manticore (Onward)/Laurel Lightfoot
Kudos: 10





	Demolition Lovers

**Author's Note:**

> So, this story is going to be the first real fanfiction I’ve wrote in years. I’ve been dealing with a hefty load of writer’s block exacerbated by my ADHD and excessive amount of ideas, yet no motivation to actually execute them. Hopefully I can consistently update this story and get it to the point where I want it to be. The only writing I’ve done recently is for school assignments, so if my writing skills seem a little unpolished, I apologize in advance.

At approximately 7:00 AM, the guttural chorus of “Unholy Oath” from the nu-metal band Smote ripped into the silence that fell over the Skodati household. Any other person would probably be repelled to the idea of waking up every single morning to the growling of heavy metal music in their eardrums, but Tyler didn’t mind. In fact, he loved it, for several reasons. Metal was not only his favorite emotional outlet, but could also make him rise out of bed like nothing else. That’s why he always set a metal song as his alarm.

After blinking open his dark crimson eyes, Tyler rolled over and hit the “Snooze” button on his alarm app. Growling softly to himself, the 17-year old imp stretched and let out a yawn. He stood up, his 2-foot long tail topped with a spade shape swishing lazily behind him. He stood up and made his bed, tucking the black bedsheet back into the headboard. 

There was a knot growing in Tyler’s stomach, for one particular reason. Today was the first day of his senior year. Okay, so what? It was also his first day at a brand new high school, in a brand new city. He would be going into the new school year with no pre-existing relationships, no clubs to participate in, and even worse; no idea how to even find his way around the damn school. Sure, he hadn’t been a social butterfly at his previous school either; but at least he had a person or two to talk to in every one of his classes. New Mushroomton was a completely different environment. It felt almost like a culture shock, and the imp’s anxiety was growing every second.

Tyler had been born and raised in a rural area almost 50 miles south of his current residence. The culture was completely different; the main source of revenue came from agriculture and raising livestock such as cockatrices, oxes, and boars. The town he hailed from was extremely small, with a population of perhaps 300 maximum, so just about everybody knew one another. It was also a lot less diverse; the population was mainly comprised of imps, goblins, ghouls, vampires, and the like.  
Even then, Tyler never really made himself known. Throughout his three years of high school, he had been the same introverted kid he was now. He could usually be found sitting in the back of all his classes, usually with his earbuds in. The most anyone ever really talked to him was to tell him that his music was too loud. It wasn’t that his peers necessarily didn’t like him; they were tolerant, for the most part. Tyler had just never been the kind of person to really enjoy making a name for himself.

It was at the end of the school year that Tyler found out his dad had gotten a job offer to work as a medical assistant at the New Mushroomton Hospital. Of course, he wasn’t going to deny the offer; he hadn’t spent the past 8 years of his life in medical school for nothing. Even though the offer meant her husband would basically be working 24/7 shifts, his mom celebrated. She had been wanting to move ever since Tyler was young; she was obsessed with the idea of living in a place with high property values and a picket fence on every corner. New Mushroomtown was the suburban paradise she had been dreaming of for years now. So the imp family had packed up all their belongings in a moving truck and hit the road.

So, it wasn’t exactly the idea of not having any friends at his new high school more than the unfamiliarity of the situation that worried Tyler. This wasn’t like anything he was used to. He was sure he would adapt at some point, but it wouldn’t be easy. 

But oh well, enough fussing, he told himself. I gotta go ahead and get ready. 

The imp hastily walked into his closet and pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans, a black Nirvana shirt, and one of the most comfortable binders he owned, and threw them on his bed. Tyler had been sure to let the counselors know at orientation his preferred name. He thanked his lucky stars that the process of getting them to change his name in the school database hadn’t been too much of a struggle. The last thing he wanted to deal with was being outed on the first day during attendance, especially in this new environment where he didn’t know what the common attitude on being transgender was. 

He headed downstairs to where his mom had just finished cooking breakfast. The smell of cockatrice eggs with a side of bacon wafted into his nostrils as he took his seat at the table. Tyler’s mom, a short imp woman with wavy hair styled into a bob, turned around and smirked.  
“There my senior man is,” she chuckled, going over and kissing his cheek. 

Tyler nervously laughed and began to pick at his meal, trying to eat as fast as he could. “Mom,” he sighed, “I’ve only got 45 minutes.”  
The middle-aged woman shook her head, “It only takes you a second to get a kiss from your mommy.”  
Tyler responded with a groan, “Mom. I know you love me, but uh, I’m kind of a senior now???”  
His mom let out a mock gasp, “Oh my, goodness gracious! Forgive me for wanting to shower you with love no matter what your age is because you’re still my son!”  
There was nothing that quite warmed Tyler’s heart like being referred to as his mom’s “son”. When he came out to her, his mom had even told him that before he was born, she had thought that he was going to be a boy. Thus, she regretted picking out all the pink nursery items. 

As Tyler scrambled to finish his eggs, his mom turned around and began to start on washing the dishes. “You’re a little nervous, hmm?” she inquired.  
Tyler was fortunate enough to have a relationship with his parents where he felt like he could be honest with them about what he’s feeling, so he nodded, “Yeah.”  
She let out a sigh, “Oh, honey. It’s understandable that you feel the way you do,” she said as she set a stack of newly cleaned dishes to the side. “But just try to look on the bright side. I’m sure all your teachers will help you get adjusted.”  
When Tyler finished his meal, he took the plate over to her and headed to the bathroom to shower as quickly as he could. As he headed out, his mom called after him, “Maybe you’ll even make some new friends!” 

New friends. Pffft. Sure.

Within 30 minutes, Tyler was out of the shower and dressed. He hurriedly applied his favorite skin cream to his grayish-red skin and combed through his dark hair to make sure he didn’t look too disheveled. As he walked downstairs with his checkered backpack swung around his shoulder, his mom hurried out of the kitchen to give him one last hug.

“Always remember how much I love you, Tyler Skodati.” She warmly said. “No matter what, you’re a brave, strong-minded boy and I know that you can do anything you set your mind to.”

The taller imp hugged his mother back, “I love you too. So much.”  
He tried not to let himself get too caught up in this tender moment because it was nearing 7:50, the time when the bus was supposed to arrive.  
“Go on and get going now. Text me throughout the day.” Tyler nodded and speed-walked out the door, heaving a deep sigh to himself as he walked down the block to his assigned bus stop. There was no telling how his first day would go. What would his teachers and classmates be like? What was the school like in general? How much different would it be?


End file.
